Stand Off (Action)

When an opponent within melee or CQB Range attacks a special character, but before the attack check is made, the target character may spend 1 action die and voluntarily reduce his Initiative Count by 5 to make a Reflex save (DC 10 + the opponent’s base attack bonus). With success, the attacker must cancel the attack so he and his target can enter a “stand off” — a test of wills in which the participants hold weapons or poised unarmed or melee attacks on each other and try to force each other to surrender. With failure, the triggering attack occurs as standard.

During a stand off, all participants are vulnerableA vulnerable character loses his Dexterity bonus to Defense (if positive), as well as all dodge bonuses to Defense. He may also be targeted with a variety of special effects, such as sneak attack damage. , and unless otherwise specified, each participant may only take free actions.

Further, if any participant in a stand off suffers 1 or more points of damage, the stand off immediately ends and all participants re-enter combat per the standard rules.

Finally, at the start of each round, before any other actions are taken, the participants make an opposedResolve (Wis) check. These checks possess the Vision tag. The winner is unaffected, but each other participant suffers an amount of stress damage equal to 1d6 + the winner’s Wisdom modifier (minimum 1 point of stress damage). If this causes any participant’s stress damage to exceed one or more of his stress thresholds, he cracks and must immediately decide whether to surrender or be attacked.

If he surrenders, he may perform no action without first receiving permission or an order from the winner of the Resolve check that cracked him.

If he chooses to be attacked, the strike comes from the nearest opponent in the stand off. It automatically hits and drops a special character’s wound points to –1, or automatically kills a standard character.

Any character may choose to surrender before making each round’s Resolve check, after which he may perform no action without first receiving permission or an order from an opponent in the stand off.

If not interrupted by damage inflicted to 1 or more participants, a stand off continues until only 1 participant remains.

As a half action, any character within CQB range of a stand off in progress may enter it, choosing 1 weapon or unarmed attack to level at involved opponents. From that point on, the newcomer becomes part of a group on one side of the stand off. His side makes team Resolve checks using the highest bonus among them so long as 2 or more characters remain in his group.